


Sherlock By Any Other Name

by flowerfan



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Established Relationship, Fluff, Love, M/M, New Relationship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25841029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerfan/pseuds/flowerfan
Summary: A duo of 221B ficlets.  Their relationship is brand new, and Sherlock is a little overwhelmed with sentiment.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Как Шерлока ни назови](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26059273) by [Little_Unicorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Unicorn/pseuds/Little_Unicorn)



> Each of the two chapters will follow the 221B format - a 221 word story where the last word starts with "B".

Recently Sherlock has been thinking about names, and labels. In the week since his relationship with John Watson (Captain, Doctor, not gay) has changed from best friend to _lover_ he has started to understand that language simply isn’t what he thought it was.

Because Sherlock (detective, sociopath, addict) is no longer who he was, and all previous descriptors seem suddenly inadequate. Insufficient. 

When John looks up at him and says _Sherlock_ , smiling with a light in his eyes that had simply never been there before, his name takes on new meaning. When John kisses him and Sherlock nearly faints with surprise, it’s an argument against his proficiency as a detective that Sherlock is all too willing to lose. When John reaches out, tentative and tender, and Sherlock’s heart sings, he is faced with the obvious inaccuracy of _sociopath_. Sherlock may still be an addict, but John is now his drug of choice.

Sherlock shifts on the couch and gently rearranges John’s sleeping form against him. It wouldn’t do for John’s bad shoulder to get stiff. John sighs out a soft breath, fingers twining in Sherlock’s hair, and Sherlock melts in adoration.

This series of sentimental musings is itself proof. Sherlock is a different man. The letters of his name may not have changed, but the meaning has. Sherlock is now besotted.


	2. Chapter 2

John blinks his eyes open and sits up, detangling his fingers from Sherlock’s hair. He must have fallen asleep while they were watching telly. It’s a tight fit on the couch together, but John thinks he likes sleeping here with Sherlock better than sleeping anywhere else without him.

He glances at Sherlock, frowning as Sherlock looks away. Embarrassed.

“What’s that about?” John asks, trying to catch his gaze.

“Whatever do you mean?”

John slides closer again, and takes Sherlock’s hands in his. “It’s all right to look at me, you know.”

Sherlock is an expert at disguise, but the blush that colors his cheeks is apparently beyond his ability to control. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“None of that,” John says, leaning in to kiss Sherlock, making his point with lips and tongue. “I know how you feel. I feel it too.”

Sherlock hides his face in John’s neck. “This is preposterous. I’ve become an open book.”

“One I very much enjoy reading.” John kisses Sherlock’s throat, his collarbone, the pale skin exposed by the open neck of his crisp button down. “You don’t have to hide from me,” John whispers softly.

Sherlock just burrows closer into John’s body. He’s overwhelmed, John thinks. He doesn’t quite believe it yet. But John is patient. He’ll help him understand, help him believe. Sherlock is beloved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this little pair of ficlets! I'm pretty new to writing in this fandom (though I've written tons in others). I'd love to hear from you here or on tumblr where I'm [flowerfan2](https://tumblr.com/blog/flowerfan2) \- come say hi!


End file.
